Grace Church (Providence, R.I.)

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Episcopal parish established in Providence, RI 1829; present church structure erected 1846; church bells first rung Easter Sunday, 1861.

From the description of Chime of bells and music at Grace Church, Providence, Rhode Island, 1857-1987. (University of Rhode Island Library, Kingston). WorldCat record id: 49846480

Parish founded in 1829; present structure erected in 1846.

From the description of Records, 1829-1999. (University of Rhode Island Library, Kingston). WorldCat record id: 47016147

Grace Church was founded in Providence in 1829 by parishioners of St. John's Church who wished to have a house of worship closer to their homes on the city's west side. This group of "gentlemen friendly to the organization of a Protestant Episcopal Church. . .on the West Side of Providence," as they described themselves in the minutes of their first meeting, accomplished their goals in short order.

Within two weeks of that first meeting, the group rented a building on the corner of Pine and Richmond street s in Providence and held its first service on May 17, 1829. A vestry was elected on June 2nd and a charter granted by the Rhode Island State Legislature on June 29th. It was not until a year later that the first rector, Samuel Fuller, Jr., was appointed. In the interim, twenty-seven different visiting clergy served the new parish.

The small structure on the corner of Pine and Richmond Streets was inadequate for the needs of the parish and almost from its inception the parish leadership had been seeking a more suitable home. In 1832 that search ended when the parish purchased the Providence Theater building on Westminster St. (the site of the present Grace Church). The converted theater remained the parish's house of worship until it was declared unsafe in late 1844. The parish immediately undertook a subscription drive and in a short time raised $20,000 toward the construction of a new church. Lots were purchased adjacent to the existing structure to provide sufficient space for the new structure. Noted church architect Richard Upjohn of New York was commissioned to design a new Grace Church. The cornerstone was laid on April 8, 1845 and service of consecration held on June 2, 1846. The structure remains largely unchanged today.

Because of the small size and limited financial resources of the Diocese of Rhode Island, its bishop initially also served as a parish rector in order to lessen the burden on diocesan coffers and, at the same time, receive a sufficient salary to sustain him. Grace Church, as the largest and most centrally located parish in the diocese, hosted Bishops John P. K. Henshaw (1843-52) and Thomas March Clark (1854-66) as rectors of the parish. This practice ended in 1866 when Bishop Clark resigned as rector to devote his energies to the diocese as a whole.

The parish continued to grow throughout the remainder of the nineteenth century under the leadership of a series of rectors, the most notable of which was David Greer who served as rector from 1872 to 1888 before moving on to become Bishop of New York. The number of communicants had increased to nearly 1000 by the turn of the century. As its membership of Grace Church increased, so too did the size of its physical plant. A new parish house and chancel were completed in 1912 and the parish house was renovated and enlarged in 1952. The parish also amended its charter in 1920 to eliminate the long-time practice of privately owned and/or rented pews.

Dr. Clarence Horner was appointed rector in 1937 and it was during his twenty-four year tenure that the parish enjoyed its most sustained period of growth. The number of communicants continued to increase and the physical plant continued to expand. The parish also begin to reach out to the broader community through a number of cultural and social programs such as the Service Men's Club in World War II.

Horner died in 1961, but his successors continued and expanded the community outreach programs begun during his tenure. Though in a sense Grace Church's neighborhood could be said to have moved out on it, the parish compensated by expanding its "neighborhood" to all of Providence and the wider community of Rhode Island. Among its many programs are " One-on-One," a program in which church volunteers visit shut-ins throughout the city; " Meals on Wheels," which provides meals to shut-ins, the elderly, and convalescents, as well as a food bank, a thrift center, and a variety of arts and cultural programs. 

From the guide to the Records of Grace Episcopal Church, 1829-2000, (University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections and Archives Unit)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Harold Brown papers, Brown (Harold) papers, (bulk 1884-1900), 1878-1920 John Hay Library, Special Collections
referencedIn Pray, William H., d. 1850. William H. Pray correspondence and diary, 1839-1893. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Grace Church (Providence, R.I.). Chime of bells and music at Grace Church, Providence, Rhode Island, 1857-1987. University of Rhode Island Library, Kingston, University Library
referencedIn R. Guastavino Company. Side Chapel, Grace Church, Providence, R.I. [graphic] : [detail drawings] / R. Guastavino Co. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Upjohn, Richard, 1802-1878. The Upjohn collection of architectural drawings by Richard, Richard Michell, and Hobart Upjohn : Architectural drawings, papers, and records, [circa 1827-1910]. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Grace Church (Providence, R.I.). Records, 1829-1999. University of Rhode Island Library, Kingston, University Library
referencedIn William Ernest Hocking papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Pray, William H., d. 1850. William H. Pray correspondence and diary, 1839-1893. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Records of Grace Episcopal Church, 1829-2000 University of Rhode Island Library Special Collections and Archives Unit
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith All Saints Church corporateBody
associatedWith Altar Guild corporateBody
associatedWith Anthony, John B. person
associatedWith Armstrong, Bishop James person
associatedWith Babcock, Rev. Charles Henry person
associatedWith Bazaar corporateBody
associatedWith Bell, Rev. Cosby person
associatedWith Bowie, Rev. W. L. person
associatedWith Brooks, Bishop Phillips person
associatedWith Brooks, Rev. Robert person
associatedWith Brown, Harold, 1863-1900 person
associatedWith Burial Ground Committee corporateBody
associatedWith Burroughs, Rev. Henry person
associatedWith Business and Professional Women's Club corporateBody
associatedWith Caskey, Charles C. person
associatedWith Cathedral Church of St. Paul corporateBody
associatedWith Cemetery Committee corporateBody
correspondedWith CETA Program corporateBody
associatedWith Chafee, Sen. John person
associatedWith Cherico, Vincent. person
associatedWith Church Periodical Club corporateBody
associatedWith Church School corporateBody
associatedWith Clarence H. Horner person
associatedWith Clarke, Rev. John A. person
associatedWith Clark, Thomas M. 1812-1903. person
associatedWith Committee to Build a New Rectory corporateBody
associatedWith Committee to Investigate the Treasurer's Accounts corporateBody
associatedWith Cronhimer, Fred person
associatedWith Crowder, Rev. Frank person
associatedWith Cummings, Rev. A. G. person
associatedWith Currie, Rev. Charles G. person
associatedWith Diocese of Massachusetts corporateBody
associatedWith Donegan, Rev. Horace B. person
associatedWith Dunn, Rev. E. Arthur person
associatedWith Episcopal Church corporateBody
associatedWith Episcopal Church -- Rhode Island -- Bishops corporateBody
associatedWith Episcopal Church -- Rhode Island -- History -- Sources corporateBody
associatedWith Episcopal Church -- Rhode Island -- Sermons corporateBody
associatedWith Esty, Ralph person
associatedWith Fitts, Rev. Frederick W. person
associatedWith Fuller, Rev. Samuel person
associatedWith Fulton, Mary and Sara person
associatedWith Gambrill, Rev. James person
associatedWith Gardener, Sarah M. person
associatedWith Gildersleeve, Virginia person
associatedWith Girls Club corporateBody
associatedWith Girls Friendly Society corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Camp corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Cemetery corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Cemetery (Providence, R.I.) corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Corporation corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Housing Corporation corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Parish Institute of Religion corporateBody
correspondedWith Grace Church (Providence, R.I.) -- Records and correspondence corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church (Providence, R.I.) -- Registers corporateBody
associatedWith Grace Church Sunday School corporateBody
associatedWith Grammer, Rev. Carl E. person
associatedWith Greer, Rev. David person
associatedWith Griswald, Bishop Alexander person
associatedWith Griswold, Bishop Frank T. person
associatedWith Heller, William H. person
associatedWith Henry B. Huntington person
associatedWith Henshaw, J. P. K. 1792-1852. person
correspondedWith Hocking, William Ernest, 1873-1966 person
associatedWith Horner, Edna B. person
associatedWith Horner, Rev. Clarence D. person
associatedWith Horner, Rev. Clarence H. person
associatedWith Hunt, Rev. George person
associatedWith Junior Vestry corporateBody
associatedWith Kellogg, Rev. Day Otis person
associatedWith Kingsley, Shephard C. person
associatedWith Lawrence, Bishop William person
associatedWith Lawrence, Edna person
associatedWith Lawrence, Rev. William Appleton person
associatedWith MacColl, Rev. Alexander person
associatedWith Matthews, John Sebastian person
associatedWith McGregor, Rev. Robert person
associatedWith McGregor, Rev. Robert F. person
associatedWith McVickar, Bishop William person
associatedWith Merrymount Press corporateBody
associatedWith Mills, Lawrence person
associatedWith Mountfurd, Captain B. F. person
associatedWith National Cathedral Association corporateBody
associatedWith Newton, Mrs. Frank person
associatedWith Olson, Ray person
associatedWith Peabody, Rev. Endicott person
associatedWith Pray, William H., d. 1850. person
associatedWith Preston, Rev. Richard G. person
associatedWith Ralph S. Esty person
associatedWith Rector Search Committee corporateBody
associatedWith R. Guastavino Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Rhode Island Hospital corporateBody
associatedWith Rice, Dorothy L. person
associatedWith R.I. Episcopal Convention corporateBody
associatedWith Rousmaniere, Rev. Edmunds person
associatedWith Senle, Deaconess Hildegarde person
associatedWith Service Men's Club corporateBody
associatedWith Shepard, George G. person
associatedWith St. James Church corporateBody
associatedWith St. John's Church corporateBody
associatedWith Sturges, Rev. Philomen person
associatedWith Survey Committee corporateBody
associatedWith The Rhode Island Episcopal Convention corporateBody
associatedWith Tomkins, Rev. Floyd person
associatedWith United Methodist Bishop of the Dakotas corporateBody
associatedWith vestry corporateBody
associatedWith Vinton, Rev. Alexander H. person
associatedWith Vinton, Rev. Francis person
associatedWith Ward, Rev. David person
associatedWith Warren, Rev. Daniel person
associatedWith Watkins, John C. person
associatedWith Wednesday Lunch Program corporateBody
associatedWith Wolf, Bishop Gesalyn person
associatedWith Woman's Auxiliary corporateBody
associatedWith Women's Bazaar corporateBody
associatedWith Women's Club corporateBody
associatedWith Young People's Fellowship corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Rhode Island--Providence
Providence (R.I.)
Providence (R.I.)
Rhode Island--Providence
Subject
Baptismal records
Cemeteries
Chimes
Church bells
Church music
Confirmation records
Marriage records
Registers of birth, etc.
Occupation
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1857

Active 1987

Information

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